9 Interesting & Unbelievable Facts about Independence of India!
Celebrate the Independence Day on August 15 with India Independence Day Images!
India is the country of lingual and cultural diversity. It’s the birthplace of numeral ZERO(0) and the world-famous Chess game. The country boasts the world’s largest Democracy and the second largest road network. India certainly has a rich history full of interesting tales since independence thru today. India gained independence from British Colonial rule on 15 August 1947. However, the independence of India is unforgettable and was achieved through intense struggles, the loss of precious lives and many sacrifices. These interesting facts and India Independence Day images will help bring to light our illustrious past and lead us into a grand future.
The story of India’s independence is so vast that even seven decades later, people are still unaware of some shocking truths behind the scene. In celebration of this Independence Day and in memory of those who brought India its freedom, we are going to bring some interesting facts to the table that’ll leave you spellbound.
#1 Jawaharlal Nehru wasn’t chosen to be our first Prime Minister.
It was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Iron Man of India, who received majority votes in the election of Prime Minister of India. Patel was a great organiser and leader. But, Mahatma Gandhi provided open support to Jawaharlal Nehru. He was very confident in Nehru’s skills in running the nation. Gandhi ji declared him as the India’s first Prime Minister.
#2 The Multilingual Freedom Fighter
People know Shaheed-E-Azam Bhagat Singh as an iconic and inspiring martyr. The braveheart gave a new direction to the freedom revolution. But, it is a little known fact that Bhagat Singh was multilingual and an avid reader.
His deep desire for knowledge made him fluent in seven different languages. In addition to Hindi and Punjabi, he could fluently speak, understand and write English, French, Arabic, Swedish and Multani. He used to read about the world’s great thinkers and philosophers.
#3 Jawaharlal Nehru – The Trendsetter
The Nehru Jacket is very popular in India. India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, inspired this clothing trend. Impressed by his style, Vogue Magazine featured the leader, wearing his traditional coat. This is what made his single-breasted jacket a popular trend in the West.
Initially, politicians and others who wanted to project devotion to the country used to wear the Nehru jacket. Today, it has received many unexpected fans and a deserving space in high pop-culture with an excellent rating.
#4 The Story Behind the Name – INDIA
The origin of the word ‘INDIA’ can be traced back thousands of years. Basically, India got its name from the word ‘Sindhu’. Arabs pronounced it as ‘Hindu’ while Greeks pronounced it as ‘Indus’.
Sindhu is the other name of the Indus River. The river was home to the Indus Valley Civilization, one of the world’s first civilizations. India is also known as Hindustan and Bharat.
#5 Goa wasn’t a part of India until 1961
After the independence of India in 1947, Portugal declared Goa as a Portuguese state. Portuguese claimed Goa as a part of metropolitan Portugal. According to them, India had no right to Goa because no Republic of India existed at that time.
Fed up with this rule, on 19 December 1961, Indian troops invaded the state and finally annexed it to India. Today, Goa is a famous tourist attraction in the country with pristine beaches and a fusion of culture that draws tourists all year around.
#6 Using Indian Flag Made of Material Other Than KHADI is punishable.
This one is that even many of us native Indians don’t know, but should know! Khadi is the only material allowed by law to be used for making an Indian flag. Using or flying a flag made of any other material is punishable of up to three-years of imprisonment and/or a fine. Cotton, silk and wool are the only permitted raw material for Khadi to be used for stitching flags.
Flag Code of India 2002 states everything you need to know about the Indian flag – material, size, colour, strength of yarn, thread count and display.
#7 The National Anthem Controversies
Many people formed different controversies surrounding India’s national anthem ‘Jan Gan Man’. Some state that Rabindranath Tagore penned down this song to pay homage to King George V.
Tagore refuted this claim and said that he wrote the song as requested by his friend. According to him, the song pronounced the victory of India, not of King George V.
With Tagore no longer present to defend his position, nobody knows what the truth is.
#8 The Indian Flag Hoisting
Do you also believe that Indian flag was first hoisted on 15 August 1947 in Red Fort, Delhi? Wrong! I thought so too, but the truth is our national flag was first hoisted on 7 August 1906 in the Parsee Bagan Square (Green Park) in Calcutta!
#9 It was not Gandhi who started the Freedom Movement of India.
Yes, you read it right! Pandit Shyamji Krishnavarma, a great patriot, philanthropist and political propagandist launched the freedom movement in England in 1905. This was about two decades before Gandhiji joined the freedom movement of Bharat.
Batukeshwar Dutt was an Indian revolutionary in the early 1900s. People remember him for having exploded bombs, along with Bhagat Singh, in the Central Legislative Assembly in New Delhi. He is the one to raise the popular slogan “Inquilab Zindabad“.
Besides these facts, the book of history of India has many pages full of interesting facts that are yet to be read. On this Independence Day, let’s take pride in our rich and remarkable history. To get in the spirit of this tremendous day take a look at these amazing India Independence Day Images!
